Real ale pub will be an asset to town

The Cricketers Rest pub in Kimberley has been bought by Castle Rock Brewery and is due to re-open after a major refurbishment at the end of the month.

Castle Rock Brewery, the Nottingham based brewer and pub company, acquired the freehold of the Cricketers Rest in Swingate for an undisclosed sum.

Brewery chairman Geoff Newton said: “Kimberley has a long historical association with the brewing industry and the Cricketers Rest is a great community pub close to the former Hardys & Hansons brewery.

“We’re planning a major refurbishment and look forward to serving the needs of this bustling Nottinghamshire town.

“The Cricketers will bring great cask ales from Castle Rock, national and local brewers and the refurbishment will extend to the impressive rear garden making it an ideal family-orientated and dog friendly venue.”

Kimberley town councillor Steve Brunt said The cricketers Rest would be an ‘asset to the town’.

“Swingate used to have a cobblers, green grocers, butchers and all sorts and all it has now is the White lion pub so it’s great news for people living in that area.

“It’s going to be an asset to Kimberley.”

Coun Brunt said it was a pub people feared would be turned into housing when it went on the market and was sold.

“We’ve had so many pubs close down. The 15 pubs we used to have in town we are now down to a small handful.

“People feared would be lost to be turned into housing.

“It’s nice people are coming along, revitalising the building and bringing real ales back into the community,” added Coun Brunt.

Acquiring the Cricketers Rest takes the total number of pubs now operated by Castle Rock to 22.